Compass Group Sources Sustainable Salmon: An Industry First

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Compass Group USA today announced a contract for responsibly sourced salmon in the Mid-Atlantic region.  Aggressive plans are in place to roll out contracts nationwide, an industry first.  The contracted salmon is at least equivalent to the Seafood Watch yellow Good Alternative recommendation and is certified by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC). 

"This is a huge success and Compass helped drive the industry toward a sustainably-raised farmed salmon. Salmon is one of the most popular choices of seafood among our guests and we are proud to meet customer demand with options that are responsible," says Julia Jordan, Director of Sustainability, Compass Group USA.   

Compass Group follows recommendations from Seafood Watch, a partner of 15 years, and strives to only source Best Choice (green) and Good Alternative (yellow) rated seafood from a sustainable supply chain.  As a founding member, Compass Group joined the Sustainable Seafood Roundtable, whose mission is to pursue an industry-wide strategy using selected supply-chain opportunities that have greatest potential for positive impact on our oceans.  Securing these contracts with wild fisheries and aquaculture is a significant step towards helping accelerate change through conscious purchasing to ensure there is enough sustainable seafood available for future generations. 

"Compass Group's commitment to only source responsible seafood, in particular, their commitment to responsible salmon, provides a powerful incentive for producers to bring responsible seafood to market, connects consumers to ocean-friendly products and helps push the industry toward sustainable sourcing," says Shawn Cronin, Seafood Watch Business Program Manager.

"The ASC is proud to be associated with Compass Group through this announcement," says Peter Redmond, Vice President for Market Development at ASC.  "Compass became one of the pioneers in aquaculture sustainability with their Seafood Watch commitment. This further commitment to source ASC certified salmon drives these goals and delivers firm assurances to their customers that when you buy farm-raised product from Compass, it has been raised to the highest social and environmental standards. We applaud their efforts and see this as a real demonstration of making true change on the waters."

About Compass Group

Based in Charlotte, NC, Compass Group North America is the leading foodservice management and support services company with $16 billion in revenues in 2016. With over 500,000 associates worldwide, its parent company, UK-based Compass Group PLC, was named the 6th largest publicly traded employer in the world by USA Today and one of 50 Companies Changing the World by Fortune. Compass Group PLC had revenues of £19.9 billion ($28 billion USD) in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016.

About Seafood Watch

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch® program drives consumer and business demand for seafood that's fished or farmed in ways that support a healthy ocean, now and for future generations. Our recommendations indicate which seafood items are Best Choices or Good Alternatives, and which ones you should Avoid.

About The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) is an independent, not-for-profit organization co-founded by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and The Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH) in 2010 to manage the certification of responsible fish farming across the globe.

The ASC standards require farm performance to be measured against both environmental and social requirements. Certification is through an independent third party process and reports are uploaded to the public ASC website. The on-pack ASC logo guarantees to consumers that the fish they purchase has been farmed with minimal impacts on the environment and on society.

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SOURCE Compass Group